Early Leader of Family Therapy: Cloe Madanes - Term Paper Example

 Early Leader of Family Therapy Family therapy is indeed an aspect emanating from psychotherapy working within families and among intimate couples based on the change and developmental aspects. Family therapy is an important aspect in both the interaction between family members, a significant contributor to change, and, the enhancement of psychological health because of the build relationships among the family members. As it is common with many thoughts of family therapy, ideally, the involvement of families in providing solutions to different problems is indeed an important aspect, regardless of the origin of the problem or the involved party in the family or an individual. Many theorists have contributed differently towards the development of family therapy and its associated aspects, one of whom is Cloe Madanes. Based on such a perspective, this paper discusses the various contributions of Cloe Madanes in the subject of family therapy as an early leader in family therapy. According to Cleo Madness in her contributions to the theoretic model of strategic family therapy, she states categorically, that elements of dysfunction within the family are important aspects in ensuring a balance in the family hierarchy, within the various stages of family life cycle (Nichols, 1984). Strategic family therapy as a contributory work of Cloe Madanes with the assistance of Jay Haley addresses the various family problems easily addressed in short durations than the other theory modalities. In strategic family therapy, the therapist develops the activities undertaken during the therapy, design to the problem approach and the taking of responsibility by the therapist for the influence towards people (Barker and Chang, 2013). Cloe Madanes played a significant role in the launch of family therapy movement. As a co-founder of The Family Therapy Institute of Washington, DC, Madanes contributed significantly towards the launch of the family therapy movement through the development of an interactional theory of human behavior, central to which is the concept of the double bind, through the establishment of the understanding of the relational and contextual nature of behavior (Madanes, 2006). Families face a number of psychological problems, which majority of people fail to get their appropriate treatment. One aspect of substantive importance refers to the unit identified as a patient, which traditionally was considered an individual. However, with the launch of the family therapy movement, Cloe Madanes established a shift of focus away from the view of a unit as an individual towards its view as a family and, therefore, the focus of study and treatment for the common psychological problems affecting families (Barker and Chang, 2013). Families are in most instances viewed as a collection of different individuals, affecting each other in powerful ways though unpredictable; hence, the effects constantly change. However, as per Cloe Madanes’ contributions into the field of therapy, it is evident that through structural family therapy, which establishes frameworks of engagement between the different family members, through the establishment of order and meaning to the different engagement mechanisms within the family setting (Haley, 1976). In most instances, families show elements of consistencies especially in behavior patterns, a critical element in determining the existence of structural formation of families, even though they exist only in the functional sense. Cloe Madanes in her contributions to family therapy adds that recognition plays a substantive role in the family formulation by maintaining and supporting the different interactive mechanism through the specific identification of problems and attempting to seek for appropriate solutions. Cloe Madanes through her knowledge of structural therapy and the ideas on how family operate efficiently on the structural level as indicated above, made the launch of family therapy movement a greater success, especially through enabling a therapist take an additional initiative and establish control over the client’s problems, for appropriate development of solutions to the problems (Nichols, 1984). Other than the numerous contributions available to the field of family therapy, specifically on strategic family theory, Cloe Madanes has also developed various theoretical formulations in the field of family therapy, which have ideally contributed immensely towards the provision of solutions to a number of family related problems in the application of the formulations. Many family problems are least solved because of the lack of appropriate theory in understanding the family dynamics, hence, provision for appropriate solutions to family problems. One aspect of significant importance in the study of family therapy as addressed by Cloe Madanes is that many therapists in an urge to provide solutions to the current family problems seek to identify the symptoms within families associated with the current problems (Barker and Chang, 2013). The solutions come in identifying the symptoms that need correction in the family, considering that symptoms refer to the repetitive activities. Based on the above perspective, it is critical that indeed for the effective address of family problems as required of therapists, there must be establishments of appropriate theoretical formulations as such provides the foundation towards the strategies involved in the treatments of various family related problems. The three major theoretical formulations of family therapy include the learning theory, behavioral therapy, and cognitive-behavior therapy. In learning theory, there is an integration of principles from the social, development, and cognitive psychology perspective, all of which are developed from experimental psychology. As a theory of formulation, Cloe Madanes established that a number of family related problems arise from psychological aspects; and, therefore, in providing solutions to the current family problems, psychosocial aspects must be considered in providing effective solutions to current family problems. Behavioral therapy as Cloe Madanes’ theoretical formulation on its part involves all manner of operant and non-operant forms of behavior, which also contribute to family problems and solutions surrounding behavioral aspects. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, on the other hand, makes emphasis on changing of attitude in influencing behavior change, and, therefore, a means of providing solutions to family problems. Cloe Madanes' idea about normal family development and how behavior disorders are thought to develop in the family identifies that a normal family is not one that lacks problems; however, it is one with an appropriate structure that deals with problems in the family (Haley, 1976). The interactions among family members play a critical role in developing behaviors among the members. Communication and good relationship as well as childcare, determine the kind of behavior in the family. Good communication and relationship effect good behavior in family whereas poor communication, relationship, and child would contribute to poor family behaviors. The goals involved in treatment therapy of behavioral problems that constantly face families include the modification of certain behavioral patterns that seem to enhance the current symptoms of behavioral discord in the family. Other than a modification of certain behaviors, Cloe Madanes also puts across of teaching of behavior change as a means of providing solutions to the numerous family problems. Ideally, behavior change acts as reinforcement to modification of behavior patterns that enhance poor behavior development in the family, thereby causing discord in the family (Madanes, 2006). The techniques used in behavior change include parent training and couples therapy. Ideally, most family problems arise from couples disagreements or conflicts involving the children. Tackling such symptoms in good time contribute immensely towards the solutions of common family problems. Change in therapy is a significantly important aspect as it contributes towards the development of new behavior while shedding off the problem-associated symptoms that contribute to family conflicts. Change is also necessary for replacing the poor behaviors with appropriate behaviors to solve the family problems. Currently, many therapists offering family therapy to clients apply Cloe Madanes’ fundamentals of strategic and structural family therapy, as they have proved effective and efficient in the provision of the solution to common family problems. References Barker, P., & Chang, J. (2013). Basic family therapy (6th ed.). Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell. Haley, J. (1976). Problem-solving therapy: new strategies for effective family therapy. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Madanes, C. (2006). The therapist as humanist, social activist, and systemic thinker: and other selected papers. Phoenix, Ariz.: Zeig, Tucker, & Theisen. Nichols, M. P. (1984). Family therapy, concepts and methods. New York: Gardner Press. Read More